LACANAU OCEAN – France (Thursday, August 20, 2009) – The ASP WQS 6-Star Sooruz Lacanau Pro experienced another short day of competition as three heats only were completed during the outgoing tide at Lacanau this morning. Some two to three foot (0.5 to 1 meter) waves allowed the twelve getting their chance to surf today to show some good surfing, former ASP European Junior champion Romain Cloitre (REU), 20, impressing the ASP judging panel to net a 16.34 point combination, the sixth best score of the event thus far.

Cloitre, who surfed against fellow top seed and ASP World Tour member Nic Muscroft (Victoria, AUS), experienced a tough heat not finding any decent ride for the first ten minutes of the heat before coming back in the race to oust Muscroft and Brad Ettinger (USA) and advance through to Round 3.

“I was really nervous at the start of that heat and already thinking of my coach watching me and stressing out,” Cloitre said. “Then I got that first wave, it took me a bit of time to find a second ride but it was the best wave of the heat and that 9.17 definitely relieved the pressure. I am happy to make it through and get to surf in the expected better waves.”

Cloitre, who got in the spotlights in 2007 after dominating the ASP Pro junior tour in Europe winning three out of five events including the biggest one against superstar Julian Wilson (AUS), has stepped up this year touring on the Grind, the Reunion island born surfer getting two excellent results in the ASP WQS 6-Star event in Portugal last April where he placed 3rd, and in the ASP WQS 6-Star Prime event in the Maldives with a 5th.

The event was put on hold by event officials after Heat 11 of Round 2 was completed, Gony Zubizarreta (Vigo, ESP) advancing through with a win ahead of Austin Ware (California, USA) and joining other standout today Dusty Payne (HAW).

The expected new swell has been confirmed by official reporter Surf-report.com and tomorrow will see loads of action as no less than twenty heats are scheduled, the first call being made at 7 AM by contest director Cyril Camu along with ASP Head Judge Iain Buchanan and Surfer’s Representative Michael Picon.